ENZYMATIC PREPARATION OFD-XYLULOSE 5-PHOSPHATE

Abstract

D-Xylulose 5-phosphate was prepared by phosphorylation of D-xylulose with the D-xylulokinase of Aerobacter aerogenes. The product was recovered as the barium salt of D-xylulose 5-phosphate hydrazone. This derivative was found to be quite stable. The D-xylulokinase of A. aerogenes was extracted with glycine from cells grown on D-xylose, then partially purified by a sequence of operations that included heating, adsorption and elution from DEAE-cellulose, alumina Cγ, and calcium phosphate gel, then precipitation with ammonium sulphate. The final preparation was free of D-ribulose 5-phosphate 3-epimerase.